Former Otago Daily Times chess columnist, Dr Tony Dowden, continues to dominate the chess scene in his adopted state of Tasmania. For the fourth consecutive year Dowden has won the Tasmanian Championship, though this time by the narrowest of margins: As part of a three-way tie for second place with joint champions Alastair Dyer and Neil Markowitz, behind the ineligible tournament winner, Vladimir Smirnov of Sydney.
To retain his title Dowden needed to win in the final round, playing White against Kevin Bonham, which is today's game. The notes are adapted from the analysis and comments of both players.
1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.d4 c5 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Bf4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Qe2! ---
Dowden was inspired to play this sharp line of the French Two Knights by the game Smerdon-Lukey from the 2009 New Zealand Championship in Queenstown. White will castle queenside with mutual attacks on the opponent's king. 10. --- 0-0 11.0-0-0 Bd7 12.h4!? ---
Very aggressive but probably risky. 12 Kb1 and 12 Ne5 are commonly played.. 12...a6 13.h5 b5 14.Ne5 Nd4?!
An error because the white knight on e5 becomes too strong. 14 ... Nxe5. 15.Qe1?! b4?!
Both sides overlooked the possibility of 15 ... Ng4! Which seems to keep Black in the game after say 16 Nxg4 Rxf4 17 f3 Qg5 18 Kb1 Nc6. Thus15 Qd2 preventing it would have been more accurate. 16.Ne2! Qb6
The idea 16 ... Nxe2+ 17 Qxe2 Ne4? doesn't work because of 18 Bxe4 Rxf4 19 Rxd5! exd5 20 Bxd5+ Kf8 21 Nxd7+ Qxd7 22 Bxa8 etc. 17.h6 Bb5
In recognition that after 17...g6 18.Bxg6! the bishop is immune (18... hxg6? 19 h7+ Nxh7 20 Nxd7). 18.hxg7 Rfc8 19.Bxh7+!! Nxh7 20.Nxd4 ---
The immediate 20.Rxh7 works too since if 20...Nxe2+ 21.Kb1!! and white is a piece down with a rook en prise but black is absolutely smashed. 20 --- Bxd4 21.Rxh7! Qc5
Or 21 ... Kxh7 22 Qh1+ with mate in 3 more moves. 22.Rh8+ Kxg7 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Rd2 Ba4! 25.Qd1! ---
Dowden: “It was hard to believe that a 'creeping move' (Kotov) can do so much damage.” The threats of 26 b3 and taking on d4 or 26 Qg4+ are too much for Black to cope. 25. --- Qxc2+
Black rejected 25...Bxe5 26.Bxe5+ as he thought that a series of queen checks would win the e-pawn, but the black queen can interpose on e7. However, Black would still be a pawn down with a very exposed king. 26.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 27.Qxc2 Bxc2 28.Kxc2 Bxf2 29.Nd3 Bb6 30.Nxb4 a5
Black's only hope is to sacrifice his bishop to get rid of all the pawns and make White win the difficult KBN v K ending against the clock. But White is alert and snuffs out the danger. 31.Nc6 Kf6 32.g4! a4 33.Kc3 Bc5 34.Ne5 Be7 35.Nd7+ Kg6 36.Kd4 Bd8 37.Ne5+ Kg7 38.Kc5 Be7+ 39.Kb5 Resigns
Former columnist still champ
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
Former Otago Daily Times chess columnist, Dr Tony Dowden, continues to dominate the chess scene in his adopted state of Tasmania. For the fourth consecutive year Dowden has won the Tasmanian Championship, though this time by the narrowest of margins: As part of a three-way tie for second place with joint champions Alastair Dyer and Neil Markowitz, behind the ineligible tournament winner, Vladimir Smirnov of Sydney.
To retain his title Dowden needed to win in the final round, playing White against Kevin Bonham, which is today's game. The notes are adapted from the analysis and comments of both players.
1.e4 e6
2.Nc3 d5
3.Nf3 Nf6
4.e5 Nfd7
5.d4 c5
6.dxc5 Bxc5
7.Bd3 Nc6
8.Bf4 f6
9.exf6 Nxf6
10.Qe2! ---
Dowden was inspired to play this sharp line of the French Two Knights by the game Smerdon-Lukey from the 2009 New Zealand Championship in Queenstown. White will castle queenside with mutual attacks on the opponent's king.
10. --- 0-0
11.0-0-0 Bd7
12.h4!? ---
Very aggressive but probably risky. 12 Kb1 and 12 Ne5 are commonly played..
12...a6
13.h5 b5
14.Ne5 Nd4?!
An error because the white knight on e5 becomes too strong. 14 ... Nxe5.
15.Qe1?! b4?!
Both sides overlooked the possibility of 15 ... Ng4! Which seems to keep Black in the game after say 16 Nxg4 Rxf4 17 f3 Qg5 18 Kb1 Nc6. Thus15 Qd2 preventing it would have been more accurate.
16.Ne2! Qb6
The idea 16 ... Nxe2+ 17 Qxe2 Ne4? doesn't work because of 18 Bxe4 Rxf4 19 Rxd5! exd5 20 Bxd5+ Kf8 21 Nxd7+ Qxd7 22 Bxa8 etc.
17.h6 Bb5
In recognition that after 17...g6 18.Bxg6! the bishop is immune (18... hxg6? 19 h7+ Nxh7 20 Nxd7).
18.hxg7 Rfc8
19.Bxh7+!! Nxh7
20.Nxd4 ---
The immediate 20.Rxh7 works too since if 20...Nxe2+ 21.Kb1!! and white is a piece down with a rook en prise but black is absolutely smashed.
20 --- Bxd4
21.Rxh7! Qc5
Or 21 ... Kxh7 22 Qh1+ with mate in 3 more moves.
22.Rh8+ Kxg7
23.Rxc8 Rxc8
24.Rd2 Ba4!
25.Qd1! ---
Dowden: “It was hard to believe that a 'creeping move' (Kotov) can do so much damage.” The threats of 26 b3 and taking on d4 or 26 Qg4+ are too much for Black to cope.
25. --- Qxc2+
Black rejected 25...Bxe5 26.Bxe5+ as he thought that a series of queen checks would win the e-pawn, but the black queen can interpose on e7. However, Black would still be a pawn down with a very exposed king.
26.Rxc2 Rxc2+
27.Qxc2 Bxc2
28.Kxc2 Bxf2
29.Nd3 Bb6
30.Nxb4 a5
Black's only hope is to sacrifice his bishop to get rid of all the pawns and make White win the difficult KBN v K ending against the clock. But White is alert and snuffs out the danger.
31.Nc6 Kf6
32.g4! a4
33.Kc3 Bc5
34.Ne5 Be7
35.Nd7+ Kg6
36.Kd4 Bd8
37.Ne5+ Kg7
38.Kc5 Be7+
39.Kb5 Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1 Rb7 Rxc2 (1 ... Rxc6 2 Rb8#) 2 Rb8+! Rxb8 3 Nc7#.